Mr. Brightside's Daughter- Ruby Flowers

Chapter 2- Surprise!

Once we had gotten out of that stuffy recording studio and back onto the busy street lined with tourist attractions, tonight's plans were soon to be discussed.
"I honestly don't see why my house is so interesting." I state bluntly, checking my notifications.
Ellie rolls her eyes. "Will you stop being so miserable? Everyone loves you here and we know that your dad probably won't be there."
"Fine! We can go to my house. But next time, it's going to be one of yours."
Rose beamed, obviously planning her snooping.
Ethan whooped and wrapped his arm around my soldier.
"I can't wait to see little Henry," Parker smiled at me. Henry was a definitely cutie. At night when he missed dad and couldn't sleep he would either climb into bed with Tana or me. But when he found me he would just curl up against me and fall asleep. It was the sweetest thing.
"I think that he'll be home tonight. I don't see why he wouldn't be." I smiled back at Parker, and then moved on to the issue at hand.
"We need to get a ride with someone or take the late bus." I put the unavoidable truth out there.
"The last time I took that stupid thing, they made us sit three to a seat." Ellie groaned at the memory, probably recalling the long after-school dance rehearsals.
"Why can't Tana come pick us up?" Rose asked me, a little on the rude side.
I had to stop myself from rolling my eyes as I turned to her.
"I don't want to bother her. Taking care of three boys isn't the easiest thing you know." I wanted to to add that Tana as probably done more work just today than Rose has in a lifetime, but thought better of it.
She just scoffed and looked away. Why am I friends with this girl? I need to come up with a way to cut her off if she keeps this up.
Our group fell silent, and I felt pressured to cave.
"Oh all right! You guys are real jerks sometimes." Im only half kidding with this comment.
I pulled out my phone and called Tana.
"Hey sweetie."
"Hey Tana... Umm can I ask a huge favor?"
"Sure!"
"Would you be able to come pick me and some friends up on Fremont street to hang out at home? If you can't we can take the late bus no problem."
"I'll be right there! And your friends are welcome to stay as late as they want. Just try to keep it down when I put the boys to bed."
"Thank you so much!"
"Sure! I'll see you in a bit!"
I hang up the phone and Ellie blurts out, "Sounds like good news!"
"Yeah... I don't see why you're so excited though."
~
After about twenty minutes, our Honda Odyssey pulls up to the curb where we're all sitting, listening to music (I gave into requests for my dad's songs.) A couple people asked for pictures with me as they walked. I accepted all of them, of course. I then quickly get up so that I can get everyone situated. When I pull the door upon, my brothers and Tana greet me.
"Hey guys!"
I decide to send Ellie into the back with Parker and Ethan, because I knew that I would never hear the end of it if Rose was stuck in the back with them.
Ellie nodded at me in understanding as she crawled into the back, and took Henry out of his booster seat and then threw in the the trunk, assuming that Tana would allow my next request.
"Can Henry sit on my lap up front? There's not enough room."
She sighed reluctantly but agreed.
"Yay Rubes!" He squealed and wrapped his arms around my next.
"Here Rose. You can sit by Gunnar."
"Thanks." She mumbles and climbed in.
I closed the sliding door and hopped into the passenger seat, pulling the seatbelt over Henry and I.
"How was your day, Ruby?"
I sighed. "People kept bothering me about dad and his new album. Asking me questions. And sometimes I know just as little as them!"
I felt free to rant, as all of my friends had pulled out their phones, entertaining my brothers with vines. I could only hope there was nothing dirty on there. I wouldn't be surprised if Rose had saved clips from 50 Shades of Grey.
"People are just excited about it. And they know you too. I mean, you've been on Pretty Little Liars and House. It's not like they just want to get closer to dad through you."
"I hope so." I replied, and then focused on Henry.
"What did you do today buddy?" I asked him, kissing his head.
"I played on the iPad." He replied. "Gunnar has it now. But I want it back."
I turn around to see the iPad on the car floor, forgotten in the midst of the excitement that comes with my friends.
"Hey Gunnar! Can you pass me the iPad?" I try to ask as nicely as possible. He could really test me sometimes.
"I'm using it!" He whined and then frantically picked it up.
I rolled my eyes. "No you weren't. You were watching videos with my friends."
"Well you're not the boss of me and I'm not going to give it to you! Mommy!!!"
"Forget it." I sigh, exasperated. He wasn't even using it at all.
"Gunnar, when we get home you need to give it to Henry." Tana said, pulling up onto the freeway.
"Fine," he mumbled after a while.
"Brat," I whispered, quiet enough so that Tana didn't here, but Henry could. He giggled and burrowed into me me, playing with the jewelry hanging from my neck.
From the back of the car, I hear a remix of that stupid 21 vine.
"Are you guys really still watching that? It's so old and just dumb."
"Ruby you know it's funny!" Ethan shouted at me, and everyone else joined in.
Tana could tell that I was still upset about my day, as she attempted to comfort me. "We could go anywhere you want for lunch tomorrow."
"Thanks, Tana."
It was hard to believe that I don't call her mom, since she has been in my life for essentially all of it. I guess part of me has always wanted find my real mom, even though she abandoned me and my dad.
I close my eyes for the remainder of the drive, mentally preparing myself for this "party."
~
I put Henry down and then got out of the car before everyone piled out. We lived in a nice house, but it wasn't a mansion. I guess my dad wanted to live a humble life, which is fine with me. At least I'm not a spoiled little princess like Rose.
Tana opens the front door and everyone heads to the living room, collapsing onto the floor and sectional. Ammon turns on the TV and sits back with Parker and Ethan, clearly trying to appear older than he was.
I went into the kitchen and pulled out a bag of Doritos for everyone to share.
As we gather around to snack, I snatch the remote from Ammon and move away before he can retaliate.
"Well, we're not watching Disney channel..." I say, mulling through the channels and looking for something to watch.
"Rubes, just go to Netflix." Ellie tells me, and I decide to heed my best friend's advice.
Once all of the choices are up on the screen, movie titles begin the be called out.
"Mean Girls!"
No.
"Mean Girls 2"
Absolutely not.
"The Possession!"
Seriously Ethan?
"How about Catching Fire?" I hear Parker ask and decide to just turn that on. Fairly appropriate as well as enjoyable.
After about fifteen minutes into the movie and Gunnar wiping the Doritos off his hands onto the carpet, there's a knock at the door.